


Tastes Like Nunvill

by horribledecisionsreally



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Anxiety, Don’t hate me, Female Pronouns for Pidge | Katie Holt, HE’S NOT DEAD, Hunk is only mentioned, I tagged the characters in order of appearance, Im just an asshole that really only writes Pidge, Kinda but not really, Panic Attacks, Pidge | Katie Holt Angst, Pidge | Katie Holt-centric, RIP, This was written after season 6 came out, Whump, ahahaha I don’t know how to tag, and then seasons 7 and 8 just bitch slapped me into oblivion, at least not yet, but doesn’t really follow canon?, but that’s probably for the better anyway, can you even call this writing though?, he’s fine, i need to make my tags more exciting, oh god I make it sound like I killed hunk, or no one is gonna read my shit, so like m a jo r canon divergence, the others have like...a line, uhh I might continue this if I can figure out how to write?, ~season eight never happened~
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-18
Updated: 2019-05-23
Packaged: 2019-06-29 03:06:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,118
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15720711
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/horribledecisionsreally/pseuds/horribledecisionsreally
Summary: After being injured in battle, Pidge is forced to take her first trip in the healing pods.Unbeknownst to the team, said green paladin has significant anxiety towards the Altean technology. (Claustrophobia? Idk. I didn’t think that far.)ORI don’t know how my summarize my shit without spoiling it. Well done, elementary school writing classes. You’ve failed me.





	1. Chapter 1

This wasn’t supposed to happen.

She was injured in battle and needed to be put in a pod. Everyone else had spent at least a few varga in the pods before; it was practically routine. But not for Pidge.

Sure she got injured, but until now she was always able to brush it off. Convince her fellow teammates that the pods weren’t necessary and it’d be more efficient to recover the old-fashioned way.

After their most recent encounter with the Galra, however, the green paladin took a nasty shot to the leg. There was no walking this one off, everyone agreed Pidge needed a pod.

However, they soon discovered that was easier said than done. Even with a torn and bleeding leg, she still managed to put up a hell of a fight.

“Please, no, no. I’m fine, really.”

“Pidge, a blaster-shot to the calf will leave you out of commission for quintants if we let it heal on its own. The pod’ll have you good as new in just a few varga.”

“Shiro is right, number five. Much more efficient and less pain for you.”

“But, I- please, I’m a fast healer. A hundred GAC I’ll be able to pilot Green by tomorrow, without spending time in the pod.”

“Pidge-“

“Allura, please!”

“I don’t understand what the big deal is. We’ve all spent time in the pods before. It’s fine.”

She looked up at Keith and the rest of her team, eyes stinging with the urge to break down.

“Number 5, if I may, we do have a calming medicine you could try. It should help you to feel more at ease with the process.”

“Oh, yeah! We gave some to Hunk when he was getting antsy about the pods too, right, Coran?”

“Righto, Lance! So we already know it’s safe for human consumption. We’d merely need to adjust the dose to account for your considerably smaller stature.”

Coran and the rest of the team looked down at Pidge, awaiting her answer.

She took a deep breath.

“Okay.”

“Excellent! I’ll fetch it now.”

Coran rushed off to the back of the infirmary to grab the medicine while Shiro bent down in front of Pidge, placing his human hand on her shoulder.

“It’ll be fine. I know you’re scared, but we’re gonna take good care of you, okay?”

She gave him a small nod as Coran came back, now holding a miniature cup of pink liquid in one hand, and a folded white pod suit in the other.

“Here we are. This should do the trick.”

He handed the cup to the green Paladin. She looked down at the unnaturally-colored syrup before her with a slight grimace.

“Tastes a bit like nunvill, which as I’ve learned from you all isn’t the most pleasant taste to humans. So, best to do it in one go, eh?”

She stuck out her tongue.

“Ehh, why’d you have to tell me?”

“Pidge, come on. The sooner you down the damn stuff, the sooner this’ll all be over.”

“Keith.”

Shiro scolded.

“No, he’s right. Deep breath, Pidge.”

She mumbled and pressed the cup to her lips.

“Bottoms up.”

She plugged her nose, tilted her head back and let the cup’s contents roll down her throat, immediately eliciting a gag from the small Paladin.

“Oh, christ, that’s disgusting.”

“Excellent job, number 5! Now that should begin to work any minute. It was nearly instantaneous with Hunk, so why don’t you go with the princess and get dressed while I calibrate the pod? Should be much less intimidating now.”

Allura smiled and turned to Pidge.

“Shall we?”

She nodded and soon was being lifted into the princess’s arms. Immediately the green Paladin rested her head against Allura’s chest and closed her eyes in contentment, letting a deep breath go.

“The medicine already taking effect, hmm?”

Allura inquired, slightly amused by the abrupt change in behavior. Pidge merely nodded, growing more limp in the princess’s arms.

“Good thing I’m helping you change, then.”

At that she slowly set the Paladin down on the small cot behind the infirmary’s privacy screen and began undoing Pidge’s armor, taking extra care around the injured leg. Surprising enough, however, the green Paladin barely stirred at the movement, looking to be in a peaceful sleep.

“I see I’m going to be doing all the work, then.”

Allura laughed, easing off the last piece of armor and lifting Pidge’s back so to access the flight suit’s zipper. Upon undoing the closure, however, the princess quickly noticed the sweat soaking the small Paladin’s underside.

“Hmm. I suppose the fight was quite a workout, but I’ve never seen this much perspiring, even on the boys.”

She eased the black suit over Pidge’s shoulders and grew shocked at the look on the small girl before her. The green Paladin was now pale in her face, sweat dripping down it and past her newly scrunched up eyes and mouth.

“Coran?”

Allura called, placing the back of her hand to Pidge’s forehead; she was burning up.

“Coran, something’s wrong.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Perspective change! Small glimpse into what’s happening in Pidge’s eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: This chapter has depictions of a panic attack. Nothing too graphic, I don’t think? But please keep that in mind if it’s something you’re sensitive to.
> 
> Also I have zero confidence in my writing skills, so I’m also adding a trigger warning for inevitable cringe. uwu

Time seized to exist the second Pidge finished downing the Altean medicine. 

One moment she was fully lucid, anxious but aware; and the next she was in a dizzying haze.

She vaguely registered Allura speaking to her, but answered the princess’s questions without fully processing them.

Movement. Then she was on a bed. Is it nighttime? She doesn’t remember. Tired. Tired and confused and hurt. Leg hurts. Is someone talking?

Lifted. Upright. Up? Which way was that? Dizzy. She felt dizzy. Why’s it so hot?

Pressure on her forehead. It’s cool against her burning skin. It brushes her bangs aside. Hand? Whose hand? Where is she again?

Voices. More talking. They sound...scared?

She puts her little energy towards listening. Focusing on the noise around her. “...an you hear ...e?”

 

She nods.

Tries to nod.

Why can’t she nod?

 

She opens her eyes, realizing that’s the only movement she has control over. Figures move above and around her, but it’s like moving through honey. Everything’s turned sluggish and she doesn’t understand.

Talking. More talking. She tries to answer but her mouth won’t move. Dammit, why won’t it move? What’s happening?

The same cool presence from before brushes against her cheeks, bringing forth awareness to a wetness that wasn’t there before. Was she crying? God, how embarrassing.

She feels the cot dip beside her as a presence makes itself at home next to her shaking form.

They wrap an arm around her back and hold her close, pulling her lax body against a sturdy chest.

She focuses on the steady heartbeat behind her, letting herself get lost in its grounding presence until the world around her fades to black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HAHA ACTUAL UPDATE, Y’ALL. I FRIGGIN DID IT.
> 
> I’m sorry these chapters are so short!! I’m still very new to the whole writing-a-story-and-not-abandoning-it-halfway-through thing.
> 
> If you guys have any advice, criticism, praise or straight-up hate, feel free to drop a comment below.


End file.
